Simple. Simplify. Simplified.

Many people feel so pressured by the expectations of others that it causes them to be frustrated, miserable and confused about what they should do. But there is a way to live a simple, joy-filled, peaceful life, and the key is learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit, not the traditions or expectations of man. ~Joyce Meyer

So, remember that last blog? All that talk about His plan? I didn’t even have a clue! Hahaha I mean, I knew He had something good up His sleeve for me, but I had no idea it would be like this! Of course, it was NOTHING like I thought it was, or what I ‘thought’ was His plan. I thought that I would be staying home this year, taking some time, etc. Oh no, He knew that was not what I needed. I needed a slight career change for sure; I needed to be with my ‘core’ and my sweet girl. He knew and He provided. I have been blessed to return to elementary school, teaching 5^th grade science; leaving the Special Education world behind. I get to work with some of my best friends every day AND my sweet girl is there with me too! I could not be happier, my kids are precious and I absolutely adore them (some are a little bit easier to adore than others ;) But there is not one thing about this transition that I would change.

Build traditions of family vacations and trips and outings. These memories will never be forgotten by your children. ~Ezra Taft Benson

This brings us to the holiday season around here and the REAL reason for this blog. We’ve pretty much always done things a little ‘different’ in our house. We’ve tried to raise our kids to be thankful on a daily basis and to live a life of service to others. So we have never really made a HUGE deal about Thanksgiving, Christmas, or their birthdays. Actually, we stopped ‘doing’ Christmas years ago (long-time readers already know this ;) and started ‘Giving Away Christmas’. Santa has continued to bring them each a stocking, but otherwise all of our efforts have been towards making, creating, or purchasing gifts for others. For the first time in many years they received gifts last year, with each receiving a pair of boots. In the past they would always spend weekends making little ornaments and gifts to give away. However, this year we are changing things up a bit as they get older. We really feel that they can take a more active part in serving others, and choosing whom to serve.

To that end we have started several new family traditions at the Norton house. This Thanksgiving we had a simple family meal and everyone made a part. We had a turkey of course, but then Savy made sweet potatoes (topped ½ with marshmallows and ½ with pecans), Justice made mashed potatoes (like Mom-mom used to make), I made green bean casserole (by request of Savy), and Jay made rolls, homemade gravy, dessert, (and the turkey).

Tomorrow we have plans to go to Marbles Children’s Museum and to watch the Lemur movie at the iMax. Then we are going to an Angel Tree so the kids can pick out a child to buy presents for. Saturday we are going to the Duke Lemur Center and shopping for their Angel child. We have also talked to them about this Christmas, as we are planning on doing the 4 Gifts:

Something they Want

Something they Need

Something to Wear

Something to Read

We had a talk the other day about how this time of year can be hard for many people, and difficult for them because of how we do things differently. We talked about how they may feel when other people are talking about getting lots of ‘stuff’ or expensive things. We also talked about things to say, how they truly do not go without anything they need, and how they get many things throughout the year so getting a bunch more ‘stuff’ on one day really isn’t necessary. I know our kids are NOT perfect. But conversations like this just warm my heart. They get it. They truly understand that there is a difference between wants and needs. They understand that sometimes, actually more often than not…we have to wait for wants. Sometimes we have to wait a very long time. They get this; they really get this now at 8 and 12. I hope they are still getting it at 12 and 16, and then still at 16 and 20 because if so their transition into adulthood will be so much smoother.

As always, Blessed to be the Nortons4

One of the characteristics of North American culture is that you can always start again. You can always move forward, cross a border of a state or a city or a county, and move West, most of the time West. You leave behind guilt, past traditions, memories. ~Isabel Allende

I freaking HATE rules... and our ever growing circle...

I HATE rules. I'm just going to put that out there. I realize that as someone who is officially halfway (WOOHOO!) through my teaching career "that is inappropriate" as Savy would say. I'm also thinking that the double digit tattoos, and multiple piercings (that have been here and gone) would also lend themselves to the 'non-rule following' personality as well. I don't know, for all of my tendencies to be very much like my son...I'm just not into creating a bunch of rules for everyone else to follow, heck I have a hard enough time following the ones I'm supposed to...

If you are wondering WHERE the heck this is going today...I'm having some issues with autism. You see, it's summer time...it SHOULD be fun, carefree, lazy, no schedules, FREE time...doesn't that sound great?? Yeah...not so much in our house....you see most of those things have a tendency to wreak havoc...no schedule = YIKES, free time = PANIC MODE...so while the school year tends to create anxiety and exhaustion, there is a comfort in that schedule...Summer just creates...yikes, and panic, and ANGER! and then he starts making rules...rules about this, rules about that. Rules for this game. Rules for who picks that movie. Rules for what we do in the car. Rules for who will do this then...and that...OMG...the RULES....see, I hate them. I know it isn't easy being him, and I wouldn't change him for the world...I just wish there weren't so many rules ;)

We had a few weeks at the beginning of summer when we were wrapping things up in our classrooms and we had a BIG wedding that the kids were involved in...I think we have finally settled into a decent summer routine.  We are back to attending baseball games on the weekends the Tourists are home (missed one home-stand because of the wedding, yikes ;) I will be creating Chore Charts for the kids this week, and then a weekly schedule (kinda like a camp would have) just so there is some predictability for him.

I get mad sometimes, frustrated really.  Because people just don't understand. I mean, they try...and most people mean well...but unless you have a child with special needs, a child that just requires so much more, a child that is just exhausting, emotionally, physically draining...then you just don't get it. Now don't get me wrong...there is not one thing that I would change about my life. However, I know that I have paid the price of Asperger's in my life...with my health, in my family, in my marriage, in many relationships...probably the biggest price we pay is in friendships.  My husband and I talk about 'our circle' all the time, and just how hard it is for us to even have any friends. I mean...sure we have acquaintances, and there are lots of people that I work with that I call friends...but I am talking about those people that you can call any time to just drop the kids off with so you can go do something.  You see, when you have a very High Maintenance kid...you can't just leave him anywhere...with anyone. 'Our circle' is VERY small. But...it's getting bigger. Slowly but surely... It shrunk drastically when my mom got sick...that rocked his world, because she 'got him' better than I do.  But he still has his Grand (who happens to be coming to whisk him away this week ;) and Opa...they 'get him.' And even though Tuckin married That Boy...that just made the circle bigger...

Here's to ever growing circles...and enjoying summer...

Which Came First??

So apparently we weren’t quite busy enough ;) and the THREE dogs, 1 tarantula, 2 wild kids, and 8-10 chickens / roosters that wander around near our house were not enough... A few weeks ago we made a purchase that we had been discussing for quite some time. It is one that we feel very strongly about on many levels…it will teach the kids responsibility (as only raising ‘livestock’ can), provide some free entertainment (especially for the next several weeks as we ‘create’ their living space), be a very ‘green’ source of bug control and fertilizer, provide a needed food source and even a little income :). Plus – they are just so darn, stinking CUTE!

So they started in a washtub in the kitchen.  They have moved to the playroom. They quickly graduated to needing the brooding pen around the washtub. We take them outside as often as we can, when it is warm enough…the kids just love them. Justice spent the first week or so counting and RE-COUNTING them each time we would return to the house. LOL  They have thought about names <Savy mostly names them after her friends, team mates…Sally, Ella Ray, etc> But they are so hard to tell apart at this point, we will have to wait a little while...or until we can band their legs.

Their 1st night at home.

 

She would NOT hold them the 1st night.

 

There actually is ONE that has a name so far...Til-ta...she is very sweet and ALWAYS tilts her head, like she's saying..huh?  They really are sweet, and fluffy, even though they are getting more and more feathers every day...I got to the daycare a few days ago and all the kids were collecting worms <EWWW> My sweet girl had several in a bucket - and had even convinced them to let her take the bucket HOME, so she could bring the chicks fresh worms <ummm BARF> But, smart girl...they LOVED them!

 

Getting some fresh air :)

He loves the chicks!

Feeding her babies <3

So for now, our home continues to be a growing zoo...and we wouldn't have it any other way.  You can feel the love, hear the noises, and there's a little pecking here and there.  But mostly you can feel the LOVE...